Smart Cities are joining hands with medical practitioners (certified doctors and health experts) to provide online medical consultation facilities to citizens.
“The guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in collaboration with NITI Aayog and Indian Medical Council, allow remote delivery of medical services during the lockdown period,” said an official release.
These guidelines allow doctors to write prescriptions based on telephonic, textual or video conversations — chat, images, messaging, emails, fax and others. Citizens can, therefore, consult certified medical practitioners without the need to go out of their houses, reducing the risk of Covid-19 spread, added the release.
In Bhopal, the integrated command and control centre (ICCC) is being used as a helpline and tele-counseling centre for citizens. The station operators at ICCC are trained to attend calls. Medical officers are stationed at ICCC in different shifts to assist during any situation.
Meanwhile, in Kanpur, telemedicine is being offered through video-conferencing facility launched by the city administration. Citizens have been requested to make video calls on the number 8429525801 to avail of the facility.
“Social distancing being one of the key measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, telemedicine has emerged as an important technology to ensure citizen safety through efficient communication,” said the release.